A Day in Disneyland Paris

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It’s time for another Friday travel post! Two weeks ago, I shared about our arrival in Paris, and how we spent our anniversary there. We limited our “touristy” activities and just enjoyed the city. Since, we actually had two full days, in Paris, we decided to spend the second day at a magical place…Disneyland! It’s probably not the first choice for Americans visiting Paris, but because this was our second trip, we wanted to do things a little different. Today, I’m excited to share all about our day in Disneyland Paris!

We have both been to Disney World, more than once, but never to Disneyland in California, so this was a different experience for us. Especially, since everything was in French and English! When you first walk into the park, you are immediately on Main Street, with a view of the castle. It was odd to have such a familiarity with our surroundings, even though we were thousands of miles from home.

A lot of the shops look the same and carry similar souvenirs. I was on the hunt for a unique pair of Disneyland Paris ears! I didn’t even know if they existed, but I knew I was going to try to find them. Most of the ears were no different than what you would find in Disney World, but I did end up finding a cute set!

What I loved about Disneyland Paris

What’s not to love about Disneyland?!

I have to say, one of my favorite things about Disneyland Paris, was the short wait times! Even the more popular rides, didn’t have a very long queue. Also, there were gatherings of characters, where you could just walk right up to them, without winding your way through a line. As adults, with no children, we don’t typically wait in lines, to pose for pictures with people in costumes, but when you don’t even have to wait…Why not?

The castle was not as big as the one in Disney World, but I love how they took the design from the original (in Disneyland Anaheim) and made it more European. It started to rain a little, while were there, and the castle was a great opportunity for us to stay dry and entertained. We walked through the inside to see the shops and the stained glass window scenes. We crept down into the dark dungeon, to visit the sleeping dragon. When the rain started to let up, we were able to walk out onto the terrace and get a great view of the park.

The Rides at Disneyland Paris

Most of the rides were very similar to the originals, like “It’s a Small World” and “Star Tours”, but there were some unique design differences. I loved the outside of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” ride! As you walk to the entrance, you see skull rock, and a big pirate ship. The queue itself, takes you through tunnels, that really help to build up your excitement for the ride. “Star Tours” also has a really awesome queue, with bilingual droids, that guide you through. We were only there for one day and some of the park was actually under construction, so we were limited on our rides, but we still had a great time on the ones we were able to go on.

Sweet Treats and Eats

As far as food goes, there wasn’t a huge variety. I remember in Disney World, having a lot of different snack and small meal spots, to grab something quick. That isn’t the European style though, so it really makes sense, to not have as many of those. There were some very nice, dine-in restaurants, that I’m sure are worth checking out, but we just didn’t have a chance. I really wanted to find a Mickey candy apple, while were there and they didn’t even have them in the park! Thankfully, we visited the Disney Springs shopping area for a bit, after leaving the park, and I was able to pick one up there.

The Main Street Parade

We definitely had to make sure to be around for the big parade! I’m glad we were too, because it was such a cool experience to see it, with the music being mostly in French. The songs were instantly recognizable, as they are the same ones that are used in the other parks. Even though, I am adult and I know that these are not real princesses or cartoon characters, it’s still a fun thing to be a part of. You also have to give the performers major props for being so good at their characters. We saw a little boy dressed up as Peter Pan, get called up to be in the parade with Peter Pan, himself. His expression said it all. For me, that one moment captured everything that Disney is about: a magical experience for your imagination!

Although visiting Disneyland Paris would not be on my list, I did enjoy reading your post and learning about your experience. It’s interesting to see how things have been adapted for European culture, but it still maintains the Disney essence. Thanks for the fun photos of the sweets shop! #TheWeeklyPostcard

I visited Disneyland Paris, last year. I enjoyed the trip, walking down the streets and enjoying the sweet treats. I am not a rides person, so was a bit skeptic of visiting as an adult, but always wanted to. I enjoyed reading your post as much as visiting Disneyland .Thank you so much for post #theweekly postcard

As a confirmed Disney lover I had to laugh at your post, I am a grown, and I do not believe in princesses – its okay, you are with friends, you can never be too grown up for Disney! Love the French music!

Looks like you guys had a great time. I am hoping to get to Disneyland Paris in the next year or so. I have been to Disneyland and Disneyworld, but my husband has not been to any! I like that there are a few differences at Disneyland Paris but it seems mostly like the originals. Nice to hear the lines are short too. Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard

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Hey Y'all!

Welcome to my little slice of the internet! My name is Kimberly and I am currently residing in Nashville, Tennessee, with my husband and two dogs. I love coffee, planning, and traveling the world. I believe that God has a plan for my life and I am just trying to navigate it with a side of sarcasm and caffeine.